Controlled Motion Exercise Device

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a frame, one or more pull cables running through cable guides to provide resistance exercise, and a mechanism for providing variable resistance to the cables. The frame may include a pair of uprights and a pair of cross members that combine to form a rectangular construct that allows the cable guides to be mounted at a multiplicity of selected points above and to both sides of a user standing between the uprights. The guides may be mounted at any of the selected points on the uprights and the cross members to allow the user to select an advantageous “pull point” for a desired exercise without moving the frame members and without moving other guides. A computer/processor may be used to control the resistance force applied to the cables and/or to record exercise results.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a) a frame, comprising:
 i) a pair of upright support members, and 
 ii) at least one cross member spanning between said pair of upright support members; 
   b) one or more guides selectively positioned at a multiplicity of mounting positions on one or more of said upright support members and on one or more of said cross members, said guides being effective for establishing a multiplicity of selected pull point for a cable passing therethrough;   c) one or more cables having a pull end and a winding end, and a length passing through one or more of said guides;   d) a winding/coiling mechanism comprising:
 i) a winding/coiling shaft, 
 ii) a spool mounted on said winding/coiling shaft and effective for controllably winding one or more of said cables around said shaft upon rotation of the shaft, 
 iii) a winding/coiling shaft gear mounted on said winding/coiling shaft and effective for rotating said winding/coiling shaft upon rotation of said winding/coiling shaft gear; 
   e) a resistance power mechanism comprising:
 i) a resistance power shaft, 
 ii) a motor for rotating said resistance power shaft at a variable speed and with a variable force in a direction effective for winding one or more of said cables around said winding/coiling shaft, 
 iii) a resistance power shaft gear mounted on said power shaft and engageable with said winding shaft gear and effective for turning said winding shaft gear upon rotation of said power shaft gear. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said upright members are spaced between 36″ and 96″ apart. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one cross member is mounted to said upright members at a height of between 60″ and 120″. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said “at least one cross member” comprises two cross members. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said a motor is effective for providing a variable resistance force that includes all or at least some of the range between 5 lbf and 1000 lbf of resistance force. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said a motor is effective for winding said cable at a variable speed of between 0 ft/second and 3 ft/second. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said guides comprise a pulley mounted on a shank that is mountable to said uprights and to said cross members at one or more of said multiplicity of mounting positions. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said multiplicity of mounting positions comprise slots for receiving the shank of said guides. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  and further including a computer/processor effective for controlling the resistance force applied to the cables. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  and further including a computer/processor effective for recording exercise results. 
     
     
         11 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a) a frame, comprising:
 i) a pair of upright support members spaced apart at a distance of between 36″ and 96″, and 
 ii) a pair of cross members spanning between said pair of upright support members, with one of said cross members being mounted at a height of between 24″ and 60″, and the other of said cross members being mounted at a height of between 60″ and 120″; 
 wherein said uprights and said cross members combine to form a rectangular construct that allows cable guides to be positioned around the rectangle at a selected multiplicity of points above and to both sides of a user standing between the uprights; 
   b) one or more guides selectively positioned at a multiplicity of mounting positions on one or more of said upright support members and on said cross members, said guides being effective for establishing a multiplicity of selected pull point for a cable passing therethrough;   said cable guides being movable from one pull point to another pull point without moving either of said uprights or either of said cross members;   c) one or more cables having a pull end and a winding end, and a length passing through one or more of said guides;   d) a winding/coiling mechanism comprising:
 i) a winding/coiling shaft, 
 ii) a spool mounted on said winding/coiling shaft and effective for controllably winding one or more of said cables around said shaft upon rotation of the shaft, 
 iii) a winding/coiling shaft gear mounted on said winding/coiling shaft and effective for rotating said winding/coiling shaft upon rotation of said winding/coiling shaft gear; 
   e) a resistance power mechanism comprising:
 i) a resistance power shaft, 
 ii) a motor for rotating said resistance power shaft at a variable speed and with a variable force in a direction effective for winding one or more of said cables around said winding/coiling shaft, 
 iii) a resistance power shaft gear mounted on said power shaft and engageable with said winding shaft gear and effective for turning said winding shaft gear upon rotation of said power shaft gear.